‘Green corridor’ to span over 1,217 hectares in Monchique
The Portuguese government has formally approved the Integrated Landscape Management Operation – Pilot Area Monchique Green Corridor (OIGP-APM), a comprehensive initiative aimed at “mitigating wildfire risks, promoting ecological restoration, and fostering sustainable socio-economic development” in the Algarve municipality of Monchique.
The project, with an investment exceeding €2.4 million, was published in the official State newspaper Diário da República under Dispatch No. 15261-D/2024 on December 31, 2024.
“This is a decisive step for the appreciation and protection of the territory,” the municipal council said in a statement.
Spanning 1,217.90 hectares in the municipality of Monchique, the project is the result of a bid presented by the AMCV – Associação de Desenvolvimento Local de Monchique – Corredor Verde (Monchique Local Development Association – Green Corridor) – in partnership with the local council and technical consultants from Geo21.
The core budget of €2,455,480.90 will be fully funded via Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), with an annual maintenance allocation of €137,879.67 over the next 20 years.
The Green Corridor is designed as a response to the destructive wildfires that have plagued Monchique for decades. Central to the initiative are fuel management zones – where fire risks are reduced by cleaning areas with burnable vegetation or materials – near infrastructure and residential areas, intended to enhance the borough’s resilience to extreme weather events.
In addition to addressing wildfire risks, the project integrates measures to stimulate economic activity, including the development of nature-based tourism, local agriculture, and sustainable forestry. By fostering these industries, the initiative aims to create employment opportunities and support balanced economic growth, the council says.
The OIGP-APM also focuses on ecological conservation, with key actions including the restoration of waterways and adjacent habitats, efforts to improve biodiversity, and the promotion of environmentally sustainable practices across the region.
The project is now moving into its execution phase, with a completion target of November 2025. Landowners and other stakeholders are encouraged to collaborate closely with the managing entity (AMCV) to ensure timely implementation of the approved measures.
For further information, inquiries can be directed to the managing entity (AMCV) or the promoting entity (CMM) via phone at 282 910 200/261/210/284 or email at ddr@cm-monchique.pt or monchiquecorredorverde@gmail.com.
